Longfellow House

Your Guide

The Longfellow House on Brattle Street in Cambridge has a long history. Before Longfellow lived there, it was called the Vassall-Craigie House. Some tidbits:

The book American Genius, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow by Libby Hughes and Marian R. Carlson speaks of Longfellow’s landlady, Mrs. Craigie: “Her late husband loved the situation of the house surrounded by 140 acres, sliding down to the Charles River with an unobstructed view.” Today, some trees and a monument to Longfellow are in the view but the open vista remains.

In Cambridge Mass, the Changing of Landscape, Alan Emmet writes, “The Cambridge Plant and Garden Club and landscape architect Diane Kostal McGuire carried out a careful restoration of the garden at the house in the late 1850s with its box-edged, paisley-patterned beds centered on a sundial."

A Lilac Hedge

Walking west on Brattle Street in Cambridge, one comes to the stone wall and lilac hedge at the front of the Longfellow House property.

Image: Carol Johnson

Longfellow House

Just inside the front gate one sees the Longfellow House, which was originally called the Vassall-Craigie House after its earliest owners. The house is raised above Brattle Street.

Image: Carol Johnson

Terrace with Flowers

The terrace level close to the house is planted with early flowering plants.

Image: Carol Johnson

Nearby

Longfellow gave the property to the immediate west of his house to his daughters, who built their houses there. This view to the east shows the present-day campus of the Episcopal Theological Seminary.

Image: Carol Johnson

The Formal Garden

The formal garden, originally designed for Alice Longfellow by Ellen Shipman, a New York landscape architect, was recently restored.

Image: Carol Johnson

Vines

The garage at the rear of the property with vines trained to grow on it.

Image: Carol Johnson

View Towards the Charles River

View from the front of the Longfellow house toward the Charles River.

Image: Carol Johnson

Park Life

View from Longfellow Park looking back at the house.

Image: Carol Johnson

Park Views

View at the end of Longfellow Park beside the Longfellow monument.

Image: Carol Johnson

Longfellow's Monument

View of the Longfellow monument with Hiawatha and other figures in the background.